Track-gauging device



Jan. 25 1927.

1,615,714 S. MAGATON r TRACK GAUGING DEVICE Filed Dec. 24, 1925 3Sheets-Sheet l "5 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Jan. 25, 1927'.

1,615,714 ;s. MAGATON TRACK GAUGING DEVICE Filed Dec. 24, 1925 3Sheets-Sheet 2- INVENTOR Mala)! ATTORNEYS Jan. 25,1927. ,615,714

S. MAGATON TRACK GAUGING- DEVICE Filed Dec. 24, 1 925 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 7r a J m T 3 61 $5 1 "19 2.; 5 1 I g:- S

INVENTOR V i: M Z0 I I m @412 I I I ATTORNEYS Patented Jan. 25, 1927.

SILVIO MAGATON, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

TnAcK-eAnerne nnvicn.

Application filed December 2 1925.

This invention relates to a track gauging device.

An object of the invention is to provide a device that can be disposedon the railroad tracks, to be run over the rails at any desired speed,and which is provided with means for automatically indicating andregistering any defect in the tracks, either in the form of spread railsor sunken rails.

A further object concerns the provision of a device in which the abovementioned object is achieved with a minimum number of simple, compact,strong parts requiring a minimum of attention and operation on the partof the workmen and requiring a minimum of time and labor to keep it inadjustment and repair.

The invention is illustrated in the drawings, of which- Figure 1 is aplan view of the device;

Figure 2 is an elevation thereof;

Figure 3 is a longitudinal vertical section taken on the line 33 ofFigure 1;

Figure 4 is a vertical transverse section taken on the line lt of Figure3;

Figure 5 is an enlarged partial end section taken in a horizontal planeshowing the means for indicating when the rails have spread; thissection is taken on the line 55 of Figure 6;

Figure 6 is an elevation of the same portion of the device as shown inFigure 5;

Figure 7 is an elevation with certain parts in section taken through thecenter of the device showing the means for indicating a variation inlevel of the rails;

. Figure 8 is a vertical section taken on the line 88 of Figure 9showing the valve construction;

Figure 9 is a horizontal section taken on the line 9-9 of Figure 8.

I wish it to be understood that in describing and illustratinga specificform of my apparatus that I do not intend to be r limited to theparticular combination and arrangement of elements shown, nor to thecharacter of materials employed, any variation in the combination andarrangement of the elements and in the character of the materialsemployed being permissible so long as the same inventive idea isinvolved.

In its general aspect, the invention comprises a support or framemounted on wheels adapted to roll over a rallroad track. At least one ofthe wheels is slidable on its shaft, and means are provided tending tosleeve 18 and fixed thereto.

Serial No. 77,639.

move it outwardly at all times. In conunction with this means, I provideindicating and registering devices, so that when ever the device rollsover a portion of the trac along which the rails have spread the wheelswill automatically move outward and the indicating and registeringdevices will come into play to denote this condition.

I also provide means whereby any variation in the level of the trackwill causean indication, preferably in the form of a signal, so that theworkmen can note this fact as it is thus indicated to them. Preferably,the indicating means is electrically constructed devices for ringing abell under the desired circumstances, and the registering means is anapparatus including colored fluid automatically released from'a tank todrop onto the tie whenever a valve actuating mechanism is brought intoplay by the variation from normal of the track condition. I

In the preferred form of the invention as shown in the drawing, Iprovide a frame. This frame is formed of spaced bars 10 and 11 connectedat their ends to journal boxes 12 and 13. In these journal boxes, shafts14 and 15 are mounted. Wheels 16 and 17 are mounted on these respectiveshafts. The wheel 16 at least is mounted to slide on its shaft. Thiswheel is mounted on a The end of the shaft 14 projects through the wheelinto the space formed within the flange of the wheel. Against the rearface of the wheel is mounted a grooved pulley 19. This pulley is mountedon the rear end of the sleeve 18. A forked lever 20, pivoted at 21,embraces the shaft back of the pulley 19. This lever is connected to anarm 22, to which is connected a spring 23, the other end of the springbeing connected to the journal casing 12. The pivot shaft 21 issupported from a bracket arm 24 connected to the journal casing 12. Thespring 23 tends to force the fork-ed lever against the pulley 19 to holdthe wheel 16 outwardly as far as the rail will permit it to move.

Surroundingthe shaft back of the pulley 19 is a collar 25 adapted toslide along the shaft 1 1 and held from rotation thereon by meansof akey 26. This collar is provided with oppositely disposed finger arms 27and 28, the ends of which project into the groove in the pulley 19. Aspring finger 29 is connected to one of these arms, such as 28, and

is adapted to engage with a pivoted switch lever 30. The switch lever 30is supported from the journal casing 12 by means of an arm 31. The outerend 32 of the switch lever 30 is provided with a contact member 33connected with a circuit wire 34. This contact member is adapted toengage with the contact member 35 connected to a circuit wire 36 andmounted on abracket plate 37 supported from the journal casing 12. Themembers 36 to 37 are all mounted on a plate 38 provided with slots 39and i0 and adjustably disposed against the side of the journal casing 12so that all these elements can be moved along the face of the journalcasing 12 to effect a desired adjustment so that the time of theiroperation can be varied in a predetermined manner. As shown in Figure 1,the wire 3a is connected to a bell 41, and the wire 36 is connected to abattery 42, the other side of which is connected by a wire 43 to theother side of the bell 41. In this manner, therefore, whenever the railsare spread beyond the normal distance, the spring 23 will, through theyoke lever 20, force the wheel 16 outwardly, and if this movement of thewheel amounts to more than the predetermined distance, the end of thespring 29 will move past the pivot point of the switch lever 30 to aposition such as shown in Figure 5 and will cause the contact members 33and 35 to engage, whereby the bell 41 is rung, indicating the spread ofthe rails beyond a safe amount.

In order to indicate a variation in the level of the rails, thefollowing mechanism is rovided:

isposed in the center of the bars 10 and 11 forming the frame, andpreferably mount ed centrally thereof, are a pair of bracket plates 1and 4:5. Pivotally supported between said plates is a curved weightedelement 46 having upwardly curved spaced end portions 47 and 48. Arms4-9 and 50 pivoted between the plates H and 15 rest on the end of thecurved weighted element 16. A spring member 51 adjustable on a stem 52by means of athreadable nut 53 is adapted to be pressed against the arms4C9 and 50 to force them against the ends 4'? and 48 with any desireddegree of pressure. The stem 52 is secured to a suitable part of theframe of the device. By'means of this pressure adjustment, the movementfrom the normal position of the weighted element 46 can be resisted toany desired degree. The weighted element is provided with oppositelyextending levers 54 and 55 respectively carrying contact members 56 and57, to which wires 58 and 59 are connected. These contact members areadapted to engage respectively with contact members 60 and 61, to whichwires 62 and 63 are respectively connected. These contact members 60 and61 are mounted 011 insulating plates 6i and 65 fastened to the bottom ofthe journal casings 12 and 13. As the weighted element 16 varies itsrelative position with respect to the frame, one or the other pair ofcontact members are brought into engagement if the movement issufficiently great and the bell 4-1 is rung again, the wires beingconnected in circuit, as shown in Figure 1. The spring pressure againstthe weighted element 16 can be adjusted so that minor vibrations of thetruck or frame will not cause any ringing of the bell.

For the purpose of registering on the track, preferably by means ofcolored fluid, the following mechanism is provided:

The inner end of the sleeve 18 is provided with a plate 66 lying againstthe inner face of the wheel in the space within the flange of the wheel.This plate is provided with a dog or projection 67 which is adapted torotate with the wheel. In the normal position of the wheel for astandard gauge or track, this dog rotates without encountering anything,but when the wheel is forced outwardly in the manner above described,the dog is adapted to encounter any one of a plurality of projections,such as 68, on a star wheel 69. The star wheel 69 has fastened to itsrear face dependent fingers 70. These fingers depend into a grooveformed in the sleeve 71. This sleeve is fastened by means of a key 72 tothe shaft let and can, therefore, slide on. the shaft, but will notrotate around it. Mounted on the sleeve 71 is a tank 73 containingsuitable coloring fluid 74. This tank has a discharge passage 7 5. Thispassage is controlled by a valve mechanism.

The star wheel is provided with pro ections, such as 76, which, as thestar wheel is moved by the engagement of the dog 67 with the projection68, will encounter the upper end of a valve lever 77. This valve leveris connected to a valve plug 78. The lower end 79 of the lever 77 isengaged on opposite sides by springs 80 and 31 suitable, fastenedagainst the sides of the tank; therefore, as long as the dog 67 engageswith one of the projections 68, the star wheel will be rotated and, aseach projection 76 thereon engages the upper end of the valve lever 77,it will move the valve plug 78. This plug is provided with a passage 82adapted, when moved, to align fluid passages 83 and 84 in a valve block85 fixed within a cas ing 86 and fastened by means of bolts 87 to thetank 73. The passages 83 and 84B are connected respectively to theinterior of the tank and to the discharge passage 75. Therefore, theinstant wheel 16 is moved outwardly beyond a predetermined position, thevalve mechanism is actuated to cause fluid to flow out of the tank ontothe track. It is to be understood that this disposition of the fluiddischarge means is only one manner in which it may be located andoperated. It is possible to locate the tank elsewhere on the frame. Itmay be supported between the wheels and actuated by any suitablemechanism similar to the one described. I have not shown such adisposition, but it is well within the scope of my idea to locate thetank at any desired point and operate it to discharge fluid in anydesired manner. This frame and the wheels and the apparatus abovementioned may form part of a separate vehicle or may be attached to aregular car. Preferably, it forms part of a special truck or small caradapted to run over the road and inspect and test its condition. Thedevice is simple, the parts are compact, strong and require very littlecare and attention to keep them in operative condition at all times. Itwill be observed that when the wheel moves outwardly, not only is anindication effected by means of the bell 41, but a registration iseffected by means of the colored fluid discharged from the tank.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A track gauging device which comprises a frame having wheels on itsopposite ends, a weighted element pivoted to the frame adapted to swingin a plane transverse to the track when said wheels engage the rails ofa track, a signal circuit closing means associated with the elementadapted to energize the signal as the weighted element changes itsrelative position with respect to the frame due to the variation intrack level, and means for preventing minor vibrations of the frame fromaffecting the movement of the weighted element.

2. A track gauging device which comprises a frame having wheels on itsopposite ends, a weighted element pivoted to the frame adapted to swingin a plane transverse to the track when said wheels engage the rails ofa track, a signal eircuitclosing means associated with the elementadapted to energize the signal as the weighted element changes itsrelative position with respect to the frame due to the variation intrack level, means for preventing minor vi brations of the frame fromaffecting the movement of the weighted element, one of said wheels beingslidable on said frame, means tending normally to force said Wheelagainst the rail, and means actuated when the wheel slides from normalposition more than a predetermined amount to deposit colored fluid onthe track and to sounda signal.

3. A track gauging devlee comprising a frame having shafts mountedthereon, at least one of said shafts being fixed to the frame, wheelsmounted on the shafts, the

wheel. mounted on the fixed shaft being slidable and rotatable thereon,yieldable means for urging said slidable and rotatable wheel outwardly,said slidable and rotatable wheel having a flange around a portion ofits shaft, a. reservoir for marking fluid fixed to the portion of thefixed shaft embraced by the flange of its wheel, said reservoir havingdischarge means extending outside of the flange, a valve controllingsaid discharge means and valve operating mechanism actuated fronrtheslidable and rotatable wheel when it slides outwardly a predetermineddistance.

4 A track gauging device comprising a frame having shafts mountedthereon, at least one of said shafts being fixed to said frame, wheelsmounted on said shafts, the wheel mounted on the fixed shaft beingslidable and rotatable thereon, a grooved pulley fixed to said slidableand rotatable wheel, a collar slidable on the fixed shaft fingers fixedto the collar having inturned. ends fitting in the groove of the pulley,a lever having a fulcrum on the frame and engaged with said fixed shaftbetween the pulley and collar, spring means connected with the lever forbiasing the same to urge the wheel outwardly, and means operable by themovement of the slidable wheel outwardly beyond a predetermined amountto effect an indication.

5. A track gauging frame having shafts mounted thereon, at least one ofsaid shafts being fixed to said frame, wheels mounted on said shafts,the wheel mounted on the fixed shaft being slidable and rotatablethereon, yieldable means for urging said slidable and rotatable wheeloutwardly, an electric signal, a circuit in which the signal isincorporated, circuit making and breaking means incorporated in thecircuit and including a rockable element having a fulcrum on the frame,and a spring arm connected with the wheel to partake of the slidingmovement thereof and shiftable along the rockable element to engage iton one side and then the other of its fulcrum depending upon theslidable adjustment of the wheel.

6. A track gauging device comprising a frame having shafts mountedthereon, at least one of said shafts being fixed to said frame, wheelsmounted on said shafts, the wheel mounted on the fixed shaft beingslidable and rotatable thereon, a grooved pulley fixed to said slidableand rotatable wheel, a collar slidable on the fixed shaft, fingers fixedto the collar said fixed shaft having inturned ends fitting in thegroove of the pulley, a lever having a fulcrum on the frame and engagedwith and between the pulley and collar, spring means connected with thelever for biasing the same to urge the wheel -outwardly and meansoperable by the movement of the slidable wheel outwardly beyond apredetermined device comprising a amount to effect an indication andincluding an electric signal, a circuit therefor, a circuit maker andbreaker incorporated in said circuit and having a rockable elementfulcrumed on the frame, and a splin arm fixed to one of the fingers andslidably enga 'ed with the rockahle element.

m. A track gauging device which comprises a frame having; wheels on itsopposite ends, a weighted element pivoted to the frame adapted to swingin a plane transverse to the track when said wheels engage the rails ofthe track, a signal circuit closingmeans associated with the elementadapted to energize the signal as the weighted element changes itsrelative position with respect to the frame due to the variation intrack level, and means for preventing minor vibrations of the frame fromaffecting the movement of the weighted element, and including pivotedarms engaging the weighted element, a spring member engaging the arms,and adjustable means for tensioning the spring member.

SILVIO MAGATON.

